Description: Frequently-asked questions about mparse, with answers

Q: Can support for HTTP, HTML, SIP, etc. be added?

A: They are beyond what mparse is intended to do.  Mparse is intended to
be a general-purpose parser for the Internet Message Format.  HTTP, SIP,
etc. are separate protocols with different formats.  HTML is a specific
page description format, with its own separate syntax.  Display requires
platform-specific interfaces.  Mparse can interface to separate parsers
for HTML, HTTP, etc. by providing message body content in a character array
or file, which can then be parsed and displayed via a suitable parser for
the target platform.  Mparse also provides function call hooks, which an
application can use to perform application-specific processing of messages
and/or message components.  Mparse itself is largely platform-independent,
intentionally.  An application can be linked with the mparse library and
with application-specific libraries or code to perform ancillary functions
unrelated to the message format per se.

Q: Can support for SMTP, POP, IMAP, NNTP be added?

A: There is already some support for transport protocols. Mparse can supply
suitable response (and extended response) codes for protocols that use them.
Mparse can handle byte-stuffing and unstuffing as used in many transport
protocols, and can provide message and message component byte counts as
required by some transport protocols.  Mparse also provides function call
hooks, which an application can use to perform application-specific processing
of messages and/or message components.  However, mparse (intentionally)
does not handle DNS lookups, consult news spool databases, etc. as those are
application-specific functions, while mparse is a general purpose message
format parser.  An application can be linked with the mparse library and
with application-specific libraries or code to perform ancillary functions
unrelated to the message format per se.